Texas/Arkansas/Oklahoma Delegations Make Case for Red River in Meeting with BRAC Chairman Principi

TEXAS/ARKANSAS/OKLAHOMA DELEGATIONS MAKE CASE FOR RED RIVER IN MEETING WITH BRAC CHAIRMAN PRINCIPI
June 21, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. ...Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX/4th) led this morning's meeting of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma delegations with Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission Chairman Anthony Principi at BRAC headquarters in Crystal City.

Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, Arkansas Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, Rep. Mike Ross (AR/4th) and Rep. Dan Boren (OK/2nd) joined Congressman Hall in pressing the case to remove Red River Army Depot from the list of those facilities targeted for closure. Also offering testimony were community representatives Barry Rhoads and Phillip DuVall.

"Chairman Principi was very receptive to hearing our testimony about the excellent work being done by a dedicated work force at Red River and about the flawed criteria that was used to place Red River on the closure list," Hall said.

"Our delegation emphasized the military value of Red River in support of the current war effort in Iraq and how it is working at double capacity to support that effort. We also emphasized that the Department of the Army wanted to keep Red River open and was forced in the end to place it on the closure list only because of pressure from the Department of Defense," Hall noted.

"Senator Hutchison made an effective plea to Chairman Principi to personally attend the hearing in San Antonio so that he could hear additional testimony about Red River and other Texas facilities, and he indicated that he would do so," Hall noted.

"I think it was an excellent meeting that underscored the importance of Red River to our Nation's defense infrastructure as well as its economic importance in providing more than 4,000 jobs to area residents in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma," Hall said.
"All of us are committed to working together to make the case for Red River, and we will offer testimony at the regional hearing in San Antonio."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx04_hall/pr062105.html